Yes, we love centerpieces. They’re an easy thing we can do to make our home feel, well, homey. On a recent visit to the grocery store, you may have noticed more varieties of citrus than ever before in various shapes and shades. Now is the time of year when oranges, limes and lemons of every kind are readily available. We love them for their vibrant colors and fresh scent. That’s why we think they’re the perfect choice for creating a quick and easy arrangement that will fight the winter blues and get you feeling downright cheery.
We’ve broken it down to three simple steps (maybe we’ve been watching too much Agent Oso):
1. Find a base. Select a bowl, pedestal, tray or tiered server in a neutral shade or a color that’s in harmony with citrusy yellows, oranges and greens. A base with a lip on it will make the centerpiece more stable so the fruit doesn’t roll off.
2. Select your citrus. Make it interesting by choosing at least three different varieties in different sizes. Start small with tangerines, limes or kumquats, then move up to lemons and oranges. If you can find them with leaves attached, it’s a great way to make it more interesting. If you really want leaves, check the grocery store floral department. They often use lemon leaves as filler and they can be purchased for about a buck.
3. Arrange it. Mix your types, colors and sizes next to each other in a pattern, working from the base up. Start with some of the larger fruit to create your pyramid shape, and use smaller items to fill in the shape. Kumquats are excellent filler. The goal is to make sure it will stay in place. When you’re done, stand back, look at all sides, and make sure it looks balanced.
We love that this arrangement lasts a very long time (1-2 weeks) and is edible (our children can’t keep their hands off the Cuties). You can pick off the fruit when you need it for recipes or household cleaning. We love the deodorizing effect of lemons and oranges, especially in the garbage disposal.
